Maybe try more tummy play time, all bubs are different. She may not be ready just yet.
Cant really be much help my DS was very quick to roll, sit and walk... (he never crawled. My DD has also started to roll already and pulling herself up more frm a propped up position. Hope someone pop in to give you more advice
My DS rolled maybe 4 or 5 times in total from when he started to roll to when he crawled (11 months). And I can't remember exactly when he did it the first time but I think it was in the 5th month. He just was never much of a roller.
As for sitting on his own, there was no way he was doing that at 5 months. I think maybe around 7 months...but I think the idea is that they are supposed to be strong enough to get themselves into and out of the sitting position, rather than being placed in it...but I certainly put him in the sitting position because it was handy to keep him in the one place LOL (once he could do it, that is). He was commando crawling at 6 months or so and was so quick!
BUT he was always brilliant at standing up, from when he was tiny. He was cruising around the furniture before he could crawl and certainly holding himself up against the coffee table playing with toys before he could get in and out of the sitting position by himself (which I think was around 9 months).
I was really worried about the rolling thing too and I read that babies who are reluctant to roll could benefit from osteopathic treatment so I took him off to an osteo (at about 5 and a half months) who specialised in babies and found that DS actually had some physical discomfort and tension from his birth (forceps delivery) which was discouraging him from rolling but ironically was also the reason he was so good at standing (and holding his head up as a newborn) - he was more comfy upright. He also has a scoliosis in his neck from the delivery which needs monitoring through childhood, nothing major, maybe once or twice a year to see the osteo, just to make sure everything is staying loose and moving freely.
Even with the osteopathy he never became a roller and he walked at 14 months so all was good with his gross motor skills.
Soooo...sorry for long post but I would suggest taking him to an osteo or paediatric chiro first for a check up, especially if you had a long labour and/or very fast delivery.
Sorry I've come back to this thread a bit late...you don't need a referral from a GP. And the GP might poo-poo it a bit but I can tell you that after DS' first osteo treatment he rolled 3 times that very afternoon.
I am certainly a convert and I will be taking Number Two off to the osteo regardless of the type of delivery for a post delivery iron-out, as it were.
DS still goes to the osteo every 6 weeks or so at the moment, which will drop back. The scoliosis was probably caused by the forceps (they had to yank him right out) so the key for him is to get as much treatment in before his bones fuse (at about the age of 2).
Good luck!
ETA: If you are in NSW or VIC I can give you a couple of recommendations, we've lived in both states since DS was born.
Last edited by Curly; September 5th, 2008 at 08:11 AM.
Its probably normal for your child, but absolutely get a professional opinion if you think you want to.
5 months is reasonable early for a baby to be sitting.
DS did not sit unsupported til 8.5 months, and MCHN said they would not even think about looking for issues before 9 months.
The average sitting age is 7 months, so I wouldn't worry for a while yet.
My DS has only been sitting for any amount of time for the last week or so & still falls over. He's getting there, but I'm not worried.
Rolling is fine. I would ask if she wasn't rolling at 6 months, but if I was you I'd be confident that she is developing at the normal rate.
All babies develop at different rates. My DD1 sat at 5 months, DD2 was 4 months & DS is now 6 months. A friends DD was 7 months before she sat.
DD1 crawled at 8 months & DD2 was 6.5 months.
They are all so extremely different its hard not to compare to other babies the same age. But try not to.
If you are worried give her more tummy time as this strengthens the muscles in their backs for sitting & holding themselves upright.
Don't stress, she's fine!
Hi,My daughter was the same at that age i was getting worried to...i didnt think she would be crawling or doin anything anytime soon, she is now 8 nearly 9 months old she is crawling sitting up and now pulling her self up on alot of things...she just started doin all that al of a sudden..so i wouldnt worry all babies are different!!!
Nothing like a cuddle from DD after a hard day's work!
5 months and still floppy
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